Beet-harvester.



0. POWLISON.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1912. 1,@?5.,939, I Patented 0013.14, 1913.

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U. POWLISON.

BEET HARVESTBR.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1912.

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Parana orrrcn CORNELIUS POWLISON, OF DURAND, MICHIGAN.

BEET-HARVESTEB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. id, 1913.

Application filed September 7, 1912. Serial No. 719,110.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS Pownrson, a citizen of the United States,residing at Durand, in the county of Shiawassee and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet-Harvesters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in beet harvesters, and isdesigned to provide an implement for this purpose which is adapted totop the beet while III the ground, to dig or raise the beets from theround, and by means of a conveyor, transfer the beets to a basket, fromWllitih the sheets are emptied at regular intervals.

The invention consists essentially in certain novel features ofconstruction and combinations and arrangements of parts as here-.

inafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one example of thephysical embodiment of my invention constructed accordin to the bestmode I have so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the implement embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a side view of Fig. 1 with parts broken away for convenience ofillustration. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the boottopping knife and connections. Fig. 4 is a detail of a drive-chainconnection. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the lifting disk orbeet digger. Fig. 6 shows the working face of one of the disks.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the implement is supportedupon the traction wheels 1 through the frame 2, and is adapted to bedrawn by horse power. attached to the tongue 3 of the implement.

The operator or driver occupies the seat 4 which is supported upon theplatform 5 connecting the side bars of the main frame 2.

Located at the forward part of the imple ment is a member having theappearance of a sled, as indicated at 6. This sled is supported by bar 7which is pivotally connected to the tongue at 8 and to the sled at 9. Aspring 10 is attached at the front of the sled or runner and is alsoattached to the brace bar 7 to provide against displacement of theparts. This sled is adapted to slide over the ssi ground as theimplement is drawn along and the sled is held elevated by its siderunners or flanges 12. A knife or cutter 13 is supported under the sledb a bolt 20 and nut 21, the former being ad iustable in the slot 22 oflugs 22 of the knife, and supported in uprights or lugs 23 which risefrom the floor of the sled or runner. The edge of the knife extendshorizontally forward under the opening 24 which is provided in the floorof the sled and this opening permits the to s, after being cut from thegrowing beet, to passupwardly therethrough. The top is then guided toone side by the shield 25 which throws the top out of the path of theapproaching disks 26.

The pair of disks 26 are adapted to lift the beet from the ground afterthe topping knife has cut therefrom the top. As indicated in Figs. 5 and6 particularly the disks are dished or cup shaped and formed with acentral hub 27 from which extend a series of tangential, curved ribs28.The ribs on the disks are arranged in pairs, so that the disks comprisea right-.and a left in making up a pair.

The position and location of the disks are very Well illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2 and it will be observed that the disks are arranged todiverge forwardly, z. 0. they are nearer together at the rear than atthe front, and project into the ground a suitable distance. As theimplement is drawn along the disks are rotated upon their axles 29, eachaxle being the bent end of a bracket 30. The brackets are attached in anadjustable manner to the rock bar 31 by means of the set screws 32, andthe rock bar may be rocked to raise the disks from the ground by meansof the lever 33, link 34 and rod 35.

When the disks are in. lowered position as in Fig. 2, the travel of theimplement rotates the disks and the beets are clamped and held betweenthe opposite ribs of the disks. The continued rotation of the diskslifts the clamped beets upwardly into position where they will be in thepath of a rotating spider 36. This spider 36 rotates in a directionopposite to that of the travel of the disks, and the result is that thebeets are transferred 'from between the ribs of the disks to the endlessconveyer 37. It will be understood that not alone the clean beet islifted from the ground by the disks, but a coating of dirt is clingingto each beet, and the boot, while it is held with suflicient security toprevent dropping from between the disks, may yet be easily freed by thespider as its forks come in contact with the beets. v

The spider and conveyer are actuated froin the traction wheels by meansof the sprocket: 38 on the stub shaft 40, and

sprocket chain 4-1 which passes over forward ported through the idlesprocket wheel 4-2 by an adjustable, pivoted bracket 52, which iscorrugated at and is adapted to engage a bolt or pin 5 t in the frame tohold the bracket in pivoted or adjusted position. By this means thechain at may be adjusted with relation to its driving sprocket. 38.

By means of the endless conveyor 87 the beets are carried upwardlytoward the rear of the implement and are deposited in one of thecompartments(three being illustrated) in' the screen basket located atthe rear of and under the frame 2. This basket has its ends, which arecircular, and. its bottoms or partitions 56 of wire mesh or screens, andthe basket is supported upon the bar or rod 57 extending across thefranze of the implement. The bar or rod is rotatable and has rigidlyfixed thereon a rack wheel 58 provided with three teeth in which thespring pawl or detent is adapted. to engage. Thus when the basket isempty, the basket is held from turning by the engagement of the detentwith the rack wheel. [is the beets are deposited in the compartment ofthe basket presenting itself, the load gradually increases, untilsufficient to cause the disengagement of the detent and rack wheel,whereupon the basket is turned over and the beets deposited in a pile onthe ground. The detent catches the rack wheel after the basket isemptied and holds the basket in position for another load, When theoperation is repeated, thus a series of piles of beets is deposited onthe ground as the harvester travels.

The sled and cutting knife may be lifted from the ground by means of thefoot lever 60, rod 61, lever 62 and chain 68. The drive chain may bedisengaged from the drive sprocket by means of the arm 64- pivoted tothe lever 33, and the roller 65, as will be understood.

Having thus fully-described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a beet harvester, the combinationof a sled having an opening in its floor, and side flanges to elevate itfrom the ground, perforated webs above the floorv at the rear of theopening, a knife adjustably secured in said webs, and an obliquelyextending shield located in proximity'to said opening.

2. In a beet harvester the combination with a frame, of a sled having anopening in its flo'or, a bar pivoted to the sled and to said frame, aspring attached at an interniediate point on the bar and at the end ofthe sled, a knife adjustably secured at the rear of said opening, and anobliquely extending shield located at the rear of the knife.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CORNELIUS POlVLISON.

Witnesses:

ALFRE DENHAM, SETH B. TERRY.

